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"Oh the sun
is on the harbor, love. And I wish I could remain
For I know it will be a long, long time. Till I see you again"
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From Mourne
to Montana
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On
Saturday, July 10, 1915, my Grandfather, Henry J. Doyle from Kilkeel boarded
the SS Tuscania in Glasgow for the nine day crossing to New York
arriving at Ellis Island on July 19, 1915. Henry J. travelled as a
steerage passenger and gave his final destination as Butte City,
Montana. He was already in possession of a ticket to Butte and of
$30. The ship manifest for the SS Tuscania, records Harry Joe as
being healthy, 5’10” tall with a fair complexion and brown hair. He
gave his occupation as "seaman". His place of birth was recorded as
Kilkeel, Ireland.
Mrs.
Doyle, of Newcastle St., Kilkeel was listed as his next-of-kin in
Ireland. This was Anne Doyle (nee Quinn), the widower of James Doyle
who had died nine years previously. This was Henry’s first trip to
America and he stated that he was going to see his friend John
Rooney who was already living in Butte City.
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SS Tuscania was
the largest and finest ship of the Anchor line, built in 1914 by
Alexander Stephens & Sons, Ltd., at Linthouse, Govan. The Tuscania
was a ship of striking and imposing appearance: length - 567 feet,
breadth - 66 feet 6 inches, depth - 45 feet, gross tonage - 14,000
tons and a displacement of 20,000 tons. The ship was able to
accommodate 271 first class, 246 second
class, 1,900 third class passengers. The Liner was modern in
every particular. The first class public rooms were on the promenade
"A" deck, and consisted of a writing room, lounge room, smoking
room, gymnasium, and veranda cafe. The special accommodations for
second class passengers were on the shelter deck at the after end of
the bridge. The third class passengers dining saloon and the galley,
pantry, and scullery were in the main deck amidships.
SOURCE:
Steven Schwartz
[email protected]
His
friend John Rooney, (son of Patrick Rooney from Moneydarraghmore), had
sailed from Liverpool a month earlier on the SS Saint Paul arriving
in New York on June 13, 1915. John gave his final destination as the
residence of his cousin John McCarten at 67, East Copper St., Butte,
Montana. John McCarten himself had travelled to the United States
three years earlier with his friend Joseph Chambers (son of Hugh
Chambers, from Glassdrummond) on the SS Caledonia arriving in New
York on April 1, 1912. |
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Researching
the Ellis Island records reveals that Harry Joe and his friends had
plenty of company from other young men from Kilkeel and Annalong who
had made the trip to the mines of Butte. Eight
years previously, in September 1907 Hugh and Andrew McConnell along
with their cousin Robert Burden headed to Butte to stay with
Robert’s brother. Then on September 25, 1908, Joseph Maginn crossed
the Atlantic and resided with his cousin Hugh McConnell. Joseph
Maginn, in turn, sent money home for his 21-year old nephew Patrick
Joseph Rogers to join him in 1914. Patrick joined his Uncle at the
boarding house at 67, East Copper St., Butte, Montana.
A few weeks after Henry J’s arrival a cousin of
his friend John Rooney followed in his footsteps. James Rooney, (son
of Patrick Rooney from Ballymartin), arrived in New York aboard the
SS Saint Paul on August 07, 1915. He too was heading for 67, East
Copper Street and work in the Butte mines.
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Back
in Ireland times were tough, with money,
employment
and
transportation scarce. Europe was in turmoil, with the war in France
in full swing. In contrast to today's mechanised world the local
postmen normally spent a long day on a bicycle travelling many miles
up hill and down lanes
(referred to locally by the name of loanins) to deliver to the
usually small isolated farmhouses. The equivalent of today’s local
telephone service, part of his job was carrying the local gossip. It
was a happy day for him when he could reveal to his avid listeners
that his bag contained a ‘letter from America’.
Everyone knew, that this
meant cash and support in the months ahead for the lucky recipients.
However no one dreaming of the land ‘where the streets were paved
with gold’' and wondering how to get there,
will have known
just
what had been the full cost of those dollars to the immigrant
carving out a new life away from their loved ones. |
HENRY J. ELLIS ISLAND LINK
JOHN ROONY ELLIS ISLAND LINK
McCARTEN/CHAMBERS ELLIS
ISLAND LINK
JAMES ROONEY ELLIS ISLAND LINK
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